Robots competition taking over Winnacunnet High

HAMPTON — Calling all science aficionados. Winnacunnet High School will be the place to be on Feb. 8 for the second VEX Seacoast Winter Classic.

Lisa Tetrault-Zhe

HAMPTON — Calling all science aficionados. Winnacunnet High School will be the place to be on Feb. 8 for the second VEX Seacoast Winter Classic.

Robots will take over the auditorium as engineering teams from 16 schools, including WHS, will compete. Schools from all across New England will be in attendance.

"They asked us if we could host it again this year," explained Jim Muthig, WHS engineering teacher who leads the WHS team. "We had a great turnout last year, and there was a lot of positive feedback from the teams who participated. It's a great opportunity to promote robotics on the Seacoast. This year, both Berwick Academy and Exeter High School are competing."

Not every robotics team is eligible to participate. According to Muthig, there are more teams this year, and they have to qualify to attend. Last year, the WHS team was invited to attend the world event in California, but they were unable to go, according to Muthig. This year's VEX Robotics World Championship for high schools will be in Anaheim, Calif., in April.

For every challenge, the teams are given explicit instructions on the task that their robot needs to complete to earn points. For this weekend's event, the robot has to carry balls, similar to bocce balls, and put them down a plastic cylinder, without falling over. There are other larger inflatable balls, similar to beach balls, which have to be stacked on top.

This year, the WHS team is comprised of 19 students. The majority are juniors and seniors, but there are a few underclassmen and even a middle-school student.

"Last year, a middle-school father attended our event," Muthig said. "He called me up and said he needed to get his son involved. So we let him (Nathan Cotzen of North Hampton) join the team."

Muthig relies on word of mouth to recruit new members.

"My brother was involved in it, so I figured I would give it a try," said junior Perry Hayes, who's been on the team for two years.

One engineer, who's been on the team for three years, said he enjoys working out the challenges.

"It's something that's really fun to do with my time," said senior Dylan Cox. "Instead of sitting around playing video games; it's like video games come to real life."

His friend agreed.

"There are no other extra curricular activities that interest me as much as this does," said senior Joseph Chouinard.

The 19 students are broken into smaller teams of four or five people. They are competing but there is an underlying connection as the WHS team.

"Yes, we are competitive, but we're always willing to help each other out," said senior Robert Harwood. "We're like a big family."

Cox, Hayes, Chouinard and Harwood, as well as senior Tanner Quinn, all plan to pursue careers in either engineering or computer fields. That's music to Muthig's ears.

"The biggest reward for me is when my students continue to succeed," Muthig said. "I hope what we're doing will affect them in a positive way."

There is no admission fee for the VEX Seacoast Winter Classic, which will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the WHS gymnasium.

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